The Honda Ridgeline might be the internet’s favorite truck to hate on, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad pickup. If anything, it’s just old, as the current generation has been around for 10 years. Honda knows this, which is why it confirmed on Thursday that a new and more rugged model is on the way “within two years.” And it looks pretty darn boxy.
Even though you’ll have to hold tight for a while, I have a hunch it’ll be worth it. Honda is designing the new Ridgeline at its Southern California styling studio, and judging by the shadowy teaser photo that I brightened up in Photoshop, it’ll look decidedly more truck-like than the existing model. It has a strong jawline thanks to a front bumper that’s mostly straight up-and-down; it sits up higher with tall all-terrain tires; and the design team has chosen not to smooth the bed break line, although it’s sure to retain its unibody construction.
In addition to styling the truck in SoCal, Honda is engineering it in Ohio. Year after year, the Ridgeline is one of the most American-made vehicles—a trend that will seemingly continue on. Honda is staying tight-lipped on powertrain details for now, though you can’t help but assume it’ll borrow the new Passport‘s 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6, maybe with hybrid assist.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ridgeline adopt a lot more from the Passport, really. And why wouldn’t it? Honda did a stellar job with the new SUV, in both my opinion and that of those who have driven it for thousands of miles. Plus, the existing Ridgeline already rides on the last-gen Passport platform, and the next one will still be built at the Honda Alabama Auto Plant.
Honda confirmed that Ridgeline production will pause later this year so it can prepare to build the new one. This lines up with a previous report saying the midsize pickup would go away for 18 months. When it comes back, it’ll be interesting to see how much Honda caters to the contemporary truck crowd. Surely, a good middle ground exists. I hope Honda can find it.
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